Flash-light.



W. L. WHITE.

FLASH LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1916.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

.wAmlmyom n c Enron WILLIAM L. WHITE, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

FLASH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed June 13, 1916. Serial No. 103,477.

To all whom it may concern:

flashlight which when not in use will auto matically become extinguished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flashlight which when in operative position may be readily lighted by pressing upon a thumb piece and which when in inoperative position will automatically become disconnected so that upon pressure on the thumb piece the light will not be lighted.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of casing for the flashlight which is so constructed that access to the interior may be readily had.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in which'access is had to the interior from the side rather than from p the end.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device which will use an ordinary type of dry cell.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view of one of the sections of the flashlight showing a portion thereof in section.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device showing the lamp and reflector removed.

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of the lever for holding the pivoted contact arm against the central contact of the lamp bulb.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates one section of the casing while the numeral 2 designates the cooperating section. Each of these sections is provided with spaced hinge barrels 3 for the reception of the hinge pin 4 by means of which they are hingedly connected together. A latch 5 is secured to the section 2 and engages over the shoulder 6 formed on the section 1 to hold the two sections in closed position. Each of the sections is formed with an end wall 7 and secured to the end wall of the section 1 is a spring 8 the use of which will appear as the description proceeds. The ends of the sections opposite those carrying the end walls 7 are externally threaded and a suitable ring 9 fits over and is threaded on the threaded portion and this ring is provided with the inturned flange 10 for retaining the lamp 11. A reflector 12 is positioned between the inner face of the lamp and the ends of the casings 1 and 2 and is provided with a central lamp socket 13 into which the lamp bulb 1 1 is threaded. A handle 10 is riveted or otherwise secured to the section 1 and provides a means by which the device may be readily transported.

Formed in the casing 1 immediately beneath the handle are the openings 16 and 17 which receive the insulating bushings 18 and 19 respectively and extending through the bushing 18 is a pin 20 for retaining the contact spring 21 in place. A contact 22 extends through the bushing 19 and is adapted to be engaged by the end of the contact spring 21 immediately beneath the thumb piece 23.

A suitable bar 24; extends transversely of the section 1 near the end in which the reflector is mounted and secured forwardly of the bar 21 is an ear 25 to which is pivoted as at 26 the contact arm 27. This contact arm carries at its free end a weight 28 which when in the position shown in Fig. 1 causes the bar to swing into engagement with the central contact of the lamp bulb 1 1. It will also be seen that in Fig. 1 there is illustrated a stop 29 which is pivoted as at 30 so that the same may be thrown into such a position as to hold the bar 27 in engagement with the central contact of the lamp bulb regardless of the position of the device.

A wire 31 leads from the contact 22 to the ear 25 which ear is insulated as shown in Fig. 3 from the casing and a wire 82 leads from one terminal of the battery designated by the numeral 83 to the contact spring 21. As illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be seen that a wire 3A leads from the opposite contacts of the battery to the shell and thus when the thumb piece 23 is pressed contact will be made which will cause the light 14 to glow.

In use it will be seen that when the thumb piece 23 is pressed the lamp 145 will be ignited provided the bar 27 is in contact with the central contact thereof and thus it will be seen that it is ordinarily necessary to hold the lamp in the position shown in Fig. 1 in order that the lamp bulb 1% will glow. However, should it be desired that the position of the device be changed it will be seen that the stop 29 is manipulated to engage the free end of the bar 27 to hold the same against the central contact of the lamp bulb and thus when pressure is applied to the button 23 the position of the device may vary according to the desire of the user.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it'is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A. flashli ht comprising a casing consisting of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections hinged together along one edge, a reflector at one end of the casing, a battery within the casing one terminal of the battery being connected with the casing, a switch on the exterior of the casing, the opposite terminal of said battery being connected with one terminal of the switch, a hinged contact arm within the casing and insulated therefrom, the opposite terminal of the switch being connected to the hinged contact arm, and a lamp bulb within the reflector having a central contact adapted to be engaged by the hinged contact arm when the lamp is in operative position.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing consisting of a pair of semi-cylindrical sections hinged together along one edge, a reflector at one end of the casing, a battery within the casing one terminal of the battery being connected with the casing, a switch on the exterior of the casing, the opposite terminal of said battery being connected with one terminal of the switch, a hinged contact arm within the casing and insulated therefrom, the opposite terminal of the switch being connected to the hinged contact arm, and a lamp bulb within the reflector having a centrail contact adapted to be engaged by the hinged contact arm when the lamp is in operative position, and means to hold the arm in operative position at the desire of the user.

3. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector at one end of the casing, a handle intermediate the ends of the casing, an arm pivoted within the casing near its forward end, a battery within the casing one terminal 0f the battery being connected to the casing, the opposite terminal of the battery being connected to the arm, a lamp mounted in the reflector and a weight on the arm to cause the same to engage the central contact of the lamp when the flashlight is in horizontal position.

4:. A flashlight comprising a casing, a re flector at one end of the casing, a handle intermediate the ends of the casing, an arm pivoted within the casing near its forward end, a battery within the casing one terminal of the battery being connected to the casing, the opposite terminal of the battery being connected to the arm, a lamp mounted in the reflector and a weight on the arm to cause the same to engage the central contact of the lamp when the flashlight is in horizontal position, and pivoted means within the casing to hold the arm in operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

l VILLIA'M L. WHITE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

